Abuja court strikes out Bash Ali’s N500bn suit against ex-sports minister
By Edith Nwapi
Justice Peter Kekemeke of an Abuja High Court on Thursday struck out former boxer, Bash Ali’s suit for being “Statute barred”.
Ali had instituted the suit against former Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, the National Sports Commission and the Attorney General of the Federation.
Delivering a ruling on the preliminary objection by the defendant in the suit, Kekemeke held that the case was no longer valid because the time limit for bringing it to court has passed, as defined by a statute of limitations.
“From the piece of evidence before the court, there is none pointing that the first defendant signed a contract.
“The suit was filed on Oct. 10, 2021, three months before the claimant ‘s counter affidavit , his case did not fall into the expectation known in law, the cause of Act accrued on May 20, 2020 is statute barred.
” The notice of preliminary objection succeeds, the case is consequently struck out.
Ali had in his suit prayed the court for an order declaring that withdrawal of support given to him was illegal.
He prayed for an order of the court directing the first defendant to reteact the defamatory matter published against him.
Ali further asked the court for an order of the court directing the first defendant to resume their support.
He also asked for N500 billion for loss of income among other demands.
The defendants in the case are Sunday Dare, then Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports development and the Attorney General of the Federation.
For over 19 years, Bash Ali has pushed to stage the Guiness World Record Boxing fight.
Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Sadiya Hamza
